If you’re following the news, and you keep a sharp eye on the headlines quite often, well, you’d certainly know that case that something like the Virginia Voter Purge Lawsuit exists. And why exactly? Well, it sure is a big topic nowadays, even though the election results are already out and we have the new President-Elect. But how and why? Well, just so you know, it all began with the signing of an order by Governor Glenn Youngkin in August 2024 to remove noncitizens from the voter lists. This was done with the statement of making elections fair and secure. The controversy was raised especially by the fact that the move came 90 days before a federal election, you know? Sure enough though, this is against federal law, which stipulates that states are not supposed to make major changes in voter rolls so close to an election to avoid causing confusion and mistakes. Critics say that this purge is not only directed at noncitizens; it also accidentally casts out people who are legally eligible to vote, such as naturalized U.S. citizens. That’s where this very case began.
How Did This Turn Into a Lawsuit?
So far though, you see, Advocacy groups and the Department of Justice intervened to halt aka stop the purge. Like, they stated that voters could not be removed within 90 days of an election according to the federal law called the National Voter Registration Act, and that was a big reason right there. They also claimed that the method used by Virginia was faulty and therefore subjected to the possibility of error. For example, one would be flagged for removal merely because a DMV form had empty boxes. And sure enough, the state insisted that the law does not recognize noncitizens and was merely scrubbing voter lists. Keep in mind though, initially, a federal judge sided with the challengers by ordering Virginia to reinstate 1,600 removed individuals. But it did not end there.
What Did the Supreme Court Say?
Well, as per the details that are already out, Virginia appealed this ruling of the lower court to the Supreme Court of the United States. In a last-minute decision just days before the election, the Supreme Court allowed the purge to proceed. You know, this meant that those 1,600 people would not be added back to the voter rolls by vote time and that’s how what the other side wanted to happen because there could be something shady going on here.
Well, Why Are So Many People Against This Case’s Conclusion, And What Is Something Really Upsetting Here?
Well, without a single doubt, there is fear and frustration in the air as a result of the purge. Critics such as the League of Women Voters argue that this process is unfair to immigrants and minorities. Sure enough, they think that it will have even higher lines of resistance that may make voting less accessible, especially to those already found to be vulnerable. And, human rights watch groups claim that some people were removed even though they were citizens and might not know that they have been purged at all.
What Does This Mean for Voters Though?
Sure, this action could cause real difficulties for those removed from the voter rolls on Election Day. Since Virginia allows same-day registration, it means even purged voters could still show up in person, demonstrate eligibility, and vote by provisional ballot, that’s pretty much possible. Critics labeled this process as complicated and possibly inhibitive to voting. It is just so close to an election that voters are left wondering if they are still eligible to participate and what they might need to do to cast ballots.